More than 400,000 New York City public school children are enrolled in institutions where fewer than half of students passed state math or reading exams, according to a report released by the charter school network Success Academy. The report indicates that 906 schools, nearly half of the city's public schools, had less than a majority of students achieve proficiency in math, reading, or both on recent state exams.
According to the findings, 503 of these schools had a majority of students failing both math and reading. This situation exists despite New York City public schools spending approximately $36,293 per pupil for the 2024 fiscal year, a figure roughly double the national average, the report states. Researchers for Success Academy compiled the report by analyzing New York State Education Department accountability data dating back to 2012, along with NYC school quality reports, expenditure files, and standardized test results.
The report also highlighted a significant truancy issue, noting that approximately 35% of all New York City public school students, around 300,000 children, were flagged as chronically absent during the school year. Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing at least 10% of required school days.
In response to the Success Academy report, a spokesperson for the New York State Education Department (NYSED) stated that the report was a vehicle to detract from charter school expansion efforts and suggested it failed to acknowledge the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on assessment data in 2020 and 2021. NYSED also noted that its assessment and accountability data is publicly available and has been made more accessible through its school report card.
An official from New York City Public Schools refuted the report's findings, calling it "riddled with misdirections, misinformation and allegations not based in fact." The official expressed pride in the academic gains made across various demographics in reading and math over the past year and highlighted initiatives like universal pre-kindergarten. Success Academy CEO Eva Moskowitz previously reported her network's own academic metrics, with Success Academy ranking first in New York State for math proficiency and second for English Language Arts proficiency among third-through-eighth graders on recent state exams.